Tesla scrapped their PR department, But you don't have to

Y'all. This news is wild!

I was reading this morning that Tesla decided to scrap its PR department. Now, I have no idea how much that department was being utilized, but maintaining a public brand, especially one as popular as Tesla, is a full-time commitment.

With this in mind, I want to remind readers that PR never goes away. Every time you or a company interacts with the media or public, you are practicing public relations. So, even though Tesla may have rid themselves of a PR department, they will still have to deal with PR issues every. single. day. period.

This made me think: if PR is used every day no matter what shouldn't we all use basic PR skills? I'll save you the time, the answer is YES.

We should all be using personal PR skills because we are constantly building on our personal brands, no matter what we do or say. The beauty of PR is that it is determined by the public and not by you, so really, employing PR skills is for your peers, and not for you.

Throw us all a bone and follow these four basic personal PR tips:

1. Manage your reputation.

Now, I'm not saying that any of you needs to cover up a scandal of some kind. This simply means that you should clean up your image. Go through all your social media platforms and delete any photos that are distasteful or that you don't want a future employer to see.

Go through your LinkedIn or other accounts and check for spelling errors on posts-these could hurt your reputation as a professional!

Lastly, think about the way you interact with others. This is a part of your reputation management. Do people think you are bossy or rude? Take these things into account and change something if needs be.

2. Market yourself.

This should go without saying, but many people still don't do this! When it comes to your resume, write down specific numbers/statistics that showcase what you can do. On your social media, highlight the things you are good at and fit them into your aesthetic.

Consider crafting an "elevator pitch" that tells people what you are all about in 30 seconds or less. Should you ever be in a situation where you need to describe yourself, you should use this pitch to market yourself!

One more note, it is OKAY to brag about yourself in an interview. I promise. It will actually help you!

3. Expand your professional skills.

Chances are, you are already really good at something. Most people are. One of the best PR tips I can give you is to expand your skillset and professional knowledge.

Take a course on something you don't know or want to get better at! Write an article or an Op-ed and submit it to a local publication site.

Ask for constructive criticism. This one is scary... I know! But finding out your weaknesses allows you to focus on building those weaknesses.

At work, ask to work on a project with supervision that is not something you would normally do.

The key to this tip is to be uncomfortable! You don't grow in the comfort zone folks.

4. Build a personal brand.

If you have read my other blog posts, you know that I am a personal branding freak! I love it.

Developing a personal brand is so important. It allows those around you to know who you are and what you do without you having to tell them!

Figure out what you want to be known for or what people already know you for.

Establish brand pillars and build on them. Let's say you are good at writing and you want that to be part of your personal brand. You could say that writing is your passion, and then break it down even farther. Do you love fictional writing? Research writing? Poetry? Whatever you choose out of those categories become your brand pillars. Use the pillars as selling points when you are in interviews or interacting with others!

Now that you know the four tips, use them. Pretty please.

Every day you walk out the door, (or even before that if you are active on social media or are interacting with others at breakfast) you are adding to your brand. Utilize the aforementioned PR skills and see how they work for you!

Want tips on personal PR skills? UVU PRSSA and @uvuprssa provide tips and workshops on valuable PR subjects. Give them a follow!

Photo by Victoria Heath via Unsplash.